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NCAC: Research & Solutions: Policy: State Accessible Curriculum Policy Survey

50 State Accessible Curriculum Policy Survey

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GEORGIA

Interview Notes (March, 2003)

On March 20, 2003 we spoke with Kim Hartsell of the Georgia Department of Special Education. On April 18, 2003, we spoke to Janine Miller from the Governor’s Office at (404) 656-7942.

• GA rule: publishers must produce e-files of any textbook that is listed on state textbook adoption list. In Georgia the publishers are required to provide files because of the agreement they sign with the Department of Education, there is not yet a law from State Congress

• Adoption agreement—they can be used to produce in alternative format, Braille, large electronic for auditory access

• See below for the 2003 Georgia Textbook/Instructional Material Recommendation Agreement

• In March, Hartsell told us that “there is now a pending law in State Congress that would basically codify what is already happening.” Hartsell said that because Congress is in a "budget quagmire", the proposed Bill is not likely to proceed at this time. However, it would simply codify what is already required by the publishers' agreements with the Department of Education

• In April, Miller told us that HB 363 is dead for this session. According to Miller, it is possible that it will be revisited next January (2004)

• Publishers submit lists of books they'd like to sell in the state. A committee within the State Department of Education reviews the books and adopts a list

• Individual school systems have the choice of adopting off the list or purchasing some of their own books. If the district chooses a text on the approved list, the state has to have to have an e-file of that textbook

• Georgia allows the publishers to provide e-files in several different formats: ASCII, ICAD, XML, Word. Once that file is made available from the publishers, it comes to the instructional materials center

• If file is usable, the state will produce a version of the book or contract with outside agency

Links and Contact Information

Department of Education: http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/index.asp

Special Education: http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/sla/exceptional/exceptional.asp

Georgia Instructional Material Center: http://www.gimc.org/

Georgia Learning Resources System: http://www.glrs.org/

Contacts

Michaela D’Aquanni, Chair of State Advisory Panel on Special Education
Email: mdaquann@kennesaw.edu

Kim Hartsell, Department of Special Education
Tel. (404) 362-2024
E-mail: khartsel@doe.k12.ga.us

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